5 active NFL players who are no longer superstars
Longevity in the NFL is hard to come by these days, with the physicality making it tough for the game's greats to have continued success in the league. However, we’ve seen plenty of players down the year make it seem easy. Especially at the quarterback position with players such as Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees seeming to have endless careers.
Despite this, there are a whole host of players whose fire has burnt out way too quickly, be it due to poor performances, or their bodies simply giving up on them.mHere are five active NFL players who are no longer superstars.
#5 - Julio Jones
Julio Jones has been one of the best wide receivers in the NFL for the last decade, but he isn’t quite the player he once was. Jones was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 2011, and spent 10 seasons with the team.
He was Matt Ryan’s favorite target whilst amassing a total of 12,896 receiving yards on 848 receptions, both of which are franchise records. Jones led the league in receiving yards in 2015 and 2018, was named first-team All-Pro in 2015 and 2016, and was also named to seven Pro Bowls.
Despite this, Jones’ play has fallen off in the last couple of years. In his final season with the Falcons in 2020, he amassed only 771 yards and three touchdowns during an injury-plagued season.
He joined the Tennessee Titans in 2021 and didn’t fare any better. Jones struggled with injuries again and only caught 31 catches for 434 yards with Tennessee, both career lows, before they cut ties with him following that season. At the time of writing, Jones remains a free agent.
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#4 - JJ Watt
JJ Watt was once one of the most feared defensive players in the league, but it looks as though those days are gone. Watt began his career like a house on fire with the Houston Texans, winning NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2012, 2014, and 2015.
He also led the league in sacks twice and TFLs three times, all in his first five seasons in the league.
However, since being named First-team All-Pro for the fifth time in 2018, Watt’s production has dramatically decreased, mostly due to his injury issues. Since 2015, Watt has only completed a season twice, and has only amassed 26.5 sacks in that time.
Watt was released by the Texans in 2021, quickly signing with the Arizona Cardinals. But he hasn’t yet lived up to the expectations, only totalling one sack in five TFLs in seven games.